


Exercise in Honesty

by bellygunnr



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Comfort, Crush at First Sight, Disability, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 07:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20524388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellygunnr/pseuds/bellygunnr
Summary: Aloha and Army are the last two left in the S4 meeting room. Push comes to shove.





	Exercise in Honesty

When Army wasn't concentrating, his hands shook, trembling freely at his sides and especially as he made hand gestures. It was worse in mornings-- his face paint was applied with deliberate, hard strokes, his coffee cup held with unnaturally tensed muscles. If it left a little ache in his tendons, he had learned to ignore it, though the habits did not go unnoticed by Aloha. The sneaky pink Inkling was adept at noting the body language of others.

It was a good skill to have, even if it sometimes hurt.

It was the silent things Aloha did-- he never, ever mentioned the ailment aloud, though he sometimes had to bite his tongue. He only became handsy with Army, grasping a shoulder or cupping an elbow during certain maneuvers. Only when the others had left and the lights were dim did one of them mention it.

"You know, you're going to get like, carpal tunnel if you keep grabbing stuff like that. Doesn't that stuff hurt?"

Aloha leaned over the chair across from Army, chin pressed into his hands, brows quirked. His free-hanging tentacle bobbed gently in the air before settling against the back of his hand. It sparkled in the low light-- glitter had been applied.

Army peered back at him with a flat, scowling expression. He snaps the pen across the page and folds his manual together. As the pages come together, however, he relaxes, sighing.

"I didn't think anyone would notice, really..." Army says quietly. "But I suspect that you knew for a while?"

"Oh, yes, for a bit. I mean, you were real careful about it n' all, so I haven't gone and blabbed about it if that's what you're afraid of," Aloha replies. "But like, you clench things real hard, dude. No wonder you hold the record for most spilled cups--"

At that, Army shakes his head vehemently, tongue stuck out. It wasn't his fault!

"The cups here have no weight to them! You must understand, they are extremely difficult to grasp, especially when meetings run long like this. I had no idea Skull could be so long-winded but my, my, it draws on my energy reserves! Cod forbid he has us turf-- I truly do not mean it!" Army bursts out in a flood, nose scrunched up, eyes shining a bit too brightly for any good to come of it--

Aloha puts his hands over his.

"H-hey, it's okay, man! I didn't mean to go and do that, that was my bad. I didn't realize..."

He hadn't realized it was something he was self-conscious about, but now that he thought about it, it made sense...

"There's nothin' wrong with you or those hands of yours, got that?" Aloha rushes on, nearly biting his tongue. Army was still brimming on the brink of tears, like a cup about to overflow. "S'like the different kind of weapons! You just have a different kit than everyone else."

Army's weeping came in little fits. First, the tears fell, rolling down orange-blushed cheeks with a silent heave. Aloha felt his own panic rising and he scrambled to his side, unsure of what to do but anxious to see him cry. Cod, he was only trying to help-- had he struck another nerve?

"I- I never thought about it like that," Army admits, sniffling. "Truly. I simply thought it was something I had to force away..."

Aloha slings an arm around Army's shoulder. "Awh, no. That ain't how this works... Not here! Not with me, at least!"

He smushes his cheek against Army's, only regretting it a smidgen when he gets a face full of salty tears. It's no biggie, he admonishes himself. Army's his friend!

It's worth it when he feels Army relax, sighing, leaning ever so slightly into the half-hug they've engaged in. Silence drapes itself over the two as they give each other time to regain their bearings. A lot had happened-- a lot had been pushed, more revealed. And it was a good thing.

An important thing.

An exercise in intimacy.


End file.
